Charnee Long is a 22 year old college student from a small town in Virginia named Mineral, after the region's gold, zinc and lead mines. When AMBI Skincare announced the open call for entries to their first ever AMBI Model Search, she considered herself too much of what she calls a "tomboy" to think of entering. Her best friend and co-worker convinced her to submit the entry because, as he told her "you are so beautiful and perfect for this!" More than 6000 entrants were winnowed down to 5 finalists. Tricia Green, Senior Brand Manager at Valeant Pharmaceuticals, AMBI Skincare's parent company, spoke about how many days she and the panel of judges spent going through all the entries before deciding on the 5 finalists. Green explained the team found it easiest to block off certain hours each day, over a period of a few weeks, to pore over the hundreds of photos and entry forms. In the end, the judges determined that Long had the perfect combination of "spirit" and "boldness" to become the Face of AMBI Skincare.

Linda Covello Photography www.lindacovellophotography.com

Long and her mother were flown to NYC for three days for a photo shoot that took place in a sun drenched studio downtown with sweeping views of the new Freedom Tower. As the photographer and his assistants worked setting up the lights for the beauty shoot, Long sat before a huge mirror and received the full pro treatment from makeup artist Brittany Troche. Troche prepped Long's skin with AMBI products, such as priming her flawless complexion with AMBI Skincare Even & Clear Makeup Removing Cleansing Cloths and AMBI Even & Clear Daily Moisturizer. Long's skin is pretty close to perfect, and she has large eyes that are framed by angular cheekbones and a smooth forehead topped by a widow's peak. Troche kept the makeup natural and warm, and the final result when Long stepped in front of the camera on set was that of an experienced professional model.

Long is studying to become a teacher, hoping to work with young children so she can play a role in shaping their futures and inspire them with her own ethics and philosophy. After spending just a few minutes in her company, it becomes clear that Long is a very self-possessed, albeit humble, young woman. She exudes an old world Southern courtesy that is totally disarming and full of charm. Her demeanor is bright, alert, curious and intelligent. As an ambassador for the AMBI brand, she seems perfect. The time she spent being the center of everyone's attention in the studio for the shoot did not seem to transform her into a diva or affect her respect for those around her. She is aware that her life is about to change as the AMBI Skincare campaign goes national when the print ads start to appear, yet her maturity and poise are certain to keep her unfazed by it all. Family and work are very important to the young Virginia native, and she has a strong foundation that will allow her to remain grounded and focused during her time in the limelight.

AMBI Skincare is one of the brands under Valeant Pharmaceuticals North America LLC. AMBI is a trusted name incleansers and moisturizers for skin of color and has a legacy of skin care designed to provide smooth, even-toned,flawless-looking skin. Introduced in 1966, the brand has been used by women with richer skin tones for decades and trusted to provide quality products that meet skin of color needs. The AMBI® brand is best known for its fade creams,which help fade dark spots and skin discolorations to restore flawless, natural skin tone. The brand is part of theValeant portfolio that also includes Kinerase, AcneFree, CeraVe and more. For more information about the AMBI®brand and to purchase products, please visit: www.shopambi.com.

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Linda Covello is a professional photographer/writer who has been based in New York City for more than 20 years. Her work has been featured internationally on the cover of Newsweek magazine, as well as on the pages of such diverse publications like Time, Entertainment Weekly, the former Life Magazine, and Scholastic Inc. Her deep love of Rock and Roll and all genres of music has led her to shoot publicity and album covers for companies like Sony and Polygram. But her foremost love is for her hometown, New York City, and on that subject she considers herself something of a hardcore expert. Her obsession with NYC leads her into every culture, sub culture, nook and cranny, always with camera in hand. You may contact Linda with your comments and questions